Let’s Pop Up the Bubbles!

From the family camp for intercultural and interreligious dialog during our project.

Between November 2020 and October 2022, four partners under the leadership of the Social Academy are implementing the Pop Up the Bubbles project, which aims to increase the social inclusion of families from Turkey and vulnerable families from Slovenia. The project is supported by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.

From the Berlin House of One online presentation we heard during the family camp.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

A few dozen families from Turkey live in Slovenia, who find it difficult to return to their country due to the situation there. They live similarly to other families, but they often lack contact with them, they say. With small steps of meeting each other, their lives could be much better.

Several hundred thousand other families also live in Slovenia. Each with its own crises, problems, overloads, as well as with joys and successes. They differ greatly from each other, perhaps not much less than in relation to the Turkish people.

But there are almost no mutual contacts. Why? But when both groups are aware that they lack meetings. That in the world of rush we are not even building communities anymore, and we are becoming more and more alienated. And that no one is really happy with where society, the state is going – and how we are developing.

THE PROBLEM

We live in a democratic society. We must not leave the building of a better world to a handful of politicians. In a democratic society, everyone is co-responsible for shaping the society in which they live.

The first step is to burst the bubbles into which we are drawn by life patterns, to connect with the like and the different, to hear their stories, to empathize with them, and together, side by side, to build something better.

Both families of Turkish migrants and Slovenian families with lower incomes have a common challenge: they feel excluded. They don’t engage in society as much as they could!

THE SOLUTION

At the family camp, Slovenian participants learned how to make Ashura, a historical dessert, as a family.

As part of the project, we will prepare two family camps, which will be equally attended by Slovenian and Turkish families. Through sharing stories, conversations, and joint activities, both parents and children will learn about important social topics: what democracy really is, what freedom, inclusion, social engagement are. Learning will not be theoretical – these concepts will be given their meanings.

For this, both groups will be involved in the preparation of the camps. Earlier, we will also form a discussion group in which we will test these approaches. We will also design 6 e-learning lessons and an educational module for others who are interested in such “bubble bursting”.

EXPECTATIONS

The project will bring more contacts between the mentioned groups of families. In this way, they will empower each other to become more involved in society. They will be more confident in defending their views and the common good.

The approaches developed in the preparatory group will also be used by other organizations, parishes, informal groups, and families that will not be directly involved in the project.

LET’S POP UP THE BUBBLES HANDBOOK

Download the project handbook

You can read and download the handbook, subtitled “How to foster dialogue within and between communities” free of charge HERE.

PROJECT RESULTS

Six lessons in the Slovenian language

The razgledan.si portal has produced six lessons on intercultural and interreligious dialogue and participation in society. You are invited to read the articles and watch the video lessons.

Six lessons in Turkish language

The six lessons above have also been translated into Turkish and Turkish subtitles have been added to the video lessons. Lessons for Turkish speakers are available HERE.

Training for team leaders

In this one-day training, participants, and group leaders, learned how they can take their groups, movements, or organizations a step further by embracing diversity and through quality intercultural dialogue! You can read more about the content HERE.

Project duration

24 months (Nov 2020 – Oct 2022)

Project value

60,000.00 €

The project is funded by
the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.

Socialna Akademija